The present invention relates to refuse compacting apparatus and particularly to such apparatus as primarily adapted for use in refuse collection trucks.
Refuse collection vehicles of the type having a trash collection bin and compacting mechanism positioned between the cab of the vehicle and the collection tank are well known. One example is disclosed in Shubin U.S. Pat. No. 2,961,105. In such devices, the trash is picked up at curbside and dumped into a hopper behind a normally retracted compaction ram which, when actuated, thrusts the refuse rearwardly into an opening formed in the forward wall of a dump container body or tank. On some occasions, the hopper may be filled to overflowing, whereupon it is desirable to precompact the trash downwardly prior to thrusting it rearwardly with the primary compactor ram. In the aforementioned patent, this is accomplished by means of a large vertically extending framework supporting a horizontally disposed and vertically rerciprocable platen which descends to the upper edge of the hopper to form a fully closed rigid conduit through which the primary compactor ram is actuated. The mechanism of this aforementioned patent is relatively complex and expensive, and further, because of the disclosed structure, involves a complex safety mechanism involving opposite side raisable and lowerable gates which must be actuated prior to lowering of the precompacting platen.
An improved refuse collecting vehicle is shown in Shubin U.S. Pat. No. 3,211,309. In this latter example, the apparatus is improved in that a unitary refuse receiving hopper and compactor mechanism are shown without, however, incorporating the feature of a precompactor element. Accordingly, in order to improve the operation of the later device, a crusher panel has been employed of substantially rectangular planform having a lower transverse edge pivotally connected immediately above the upper edge of the refuse receiving opening to the forward wall of the collection tank. This crusher panel was then moved between an extended position overlying the hopper and a retracted position in substantially flush engagement with the forward wall of the tank by a hydraulic cylinder. Accordingly, a truly unitary two stage compactor apparatus was not achieved and, in addition, the arrangement has been disadvantageous in necessitating the running of the hydraulic lines rearwardly around the pivotal axis for dumping the refuse tank and thence forwardly along the chassis to the source of the hydraulic power. Such an arrangement is relatively costly, not only in terms of the materials employed and the excessive wear induced as a result of raising and lowering of the dump body, but has also increased the weight required to be raised and lowered by the dump cylinders.